Trucker Who Had Arm Broken by Illegal Migrants Jailed for Buying Pepper Spray

A lorry driver who purchased a stun gun and pepper spray for self-defence after being attacked by illegal migrants has been imprisoned.

The offending articles were found in the cab of 40-year-old Graeme McMurray during a spot check at a ferry terminal in Cairnryan, Scotland, as he was en route to Belfast.

McMurray had been attacked by illegal migrants in France in Boulogne, France, in 2018, leaving him with a broken arm, according to a court report. Such attacks on lorry drivers by migrants seeking to break into their vehicles and cross the British border are far from uncommon, but the judge was unsympathetic.

“You pled guilty to possession of a pepper spray for your protection after you were assaulted by illegal immigrants during the course of your work. That is no excuse, you have only yourself to blame,” lectured Judge Lord Mulholland at the High Court in Glasgow.

“Any cursory internet search would reveal these weapons are illegal,” he said, handing down a sentence of 18 months to the now-fired driver.

Boris Johnson’s government recently rejected a petition signed by over 30,000 people asking that non-lethal self-defence items be legalised, following the murder of London woman Sarah Everard.

The government insists that such items, if legalised, could be misused by criminals — although violent criminals do of course already disregard the laws against carrying weapons, up to and including knives and firearms, and using them to harm others.